World Champion PV Sindhu was on Wednesday unveiled as one of the ambassadors for Badminton World Federation (BWF)'s 'i am badminton' awareness campaign. The campaign provides a platform for players to express their love and respect for badminton by advocating and committing to clean and honest play. Sindhu, an Olympic silver medallist, said playing clean and honest is very important in any sport. "This message starts with one voice. If we as ambassadors can highlight this, then I think this will spread to more players," said the 24-year-old Indian.

"You are playing the sport for yourself. You need to be happy about it. You have to play it very clean and that is very important to me." It has been five years since BWF's Integrity Unit was formed and this time the campaign has been at the forefront of the governing body's efforts to communicate its approach towards integrity. Besides Sindhu, other ambassadors include Canada's Michelle Li, Chinese duo of Zheng Si Wei and Huang Ya Qiong, England's Jack Shephard, Germany's Valeska Knoblauch, Hong Kong's Chan Ho Yuen and Germany's Marc Zwiebler, who is Athletes' Commission Chair. "It's hoped such a concerted effort will not only raise awareness across the entire badminton landscape but encourage players to be active participants in shaping the integrity of the sport," the BWF said in a release.

Former elite players who have fronted the campaign since 2016 include BWF President Poul-Erik Høyer, BWF Para Badminton Athletes' Commission Chair Richard Perot, and superstars such as Saina Nehwal, Viktor Axelsen, Hendra Setiawan, Christinna Pedersen, Chen Long, Misaki Matsutomo and Akaya Takahashi. "Every player has the right to compete in clean and fair sport. Match fixing, match manipulation and doping are contrary to the spirit of sport. As an ambassador, we all play an important role in safeguarding the future of badminton," Høyer said. "Our youth and Para badminton players are perceived to be at greater risk of match manipulation and doping due to their lack of exposure on the international circuit. "The idea of the 'i am badminton' campaign is for us as role models to share our experiences with these target groups so they have a heightened level of awareness on the importance of anti-match manipulation and anti-doping."

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The Navi Mumbai traffic police, who had been penalising drivers in order to steer them to the right side of the road to little success, have now started filing FIRs instead. The cops began the drive five days before Diwali and have already booked 530 under Section 279 (rash driving) of the Indian 

Penal Code.

Speaking about what kind of motorists inspired this strict action, Koparkhairane traffic API Sachin Khondre said, "Three to four months ago, a man was riding his bike on the wrong side with his pregnant wife and their young daughter, when an out of control dumper coming from the right side of the road collided with them. This is just one example of the kind of issues we face every day with people who flout traffic rules."

Those driving in the opposite lane can not only cause massive traffic congestion, but at times can also lead to accidents. Representational Image

Reducing law breakers
"Half of the time is wasted in fighting with them. This time around, the traffic DCP ordered us to show no mercy towards these violators and directly register a police complaint against them instead of collecting their licence or a fine. This strict initiative has been started so that accidents can be avoided," he said.

Navi Mumbai traffic DCP Sunil Lokhande concurred, "We're taking stringent action by registering a FIR against those driving in the opposite lane as such riding not only causes massive traffic congestion, but at times can also lead to accidents.

"We started this before Diwali because it will help keep everyone safe, at least in the festive season. We've tried so many awareness campaigns, but people did not listen. This strict action [filing FIRs] has actually reduced the number of people who flout rules." How do they catch hold of the culprits? Vashi traffic senior PI Satish Gaikwad said, "We all know the area where these drivers take the wrong side, and apart from medical emergency, all the other reasons they give are fake.

Under bridges and bushes
"To catch such drivers, we sit with the team of a particular police station under a bridge or hide in the bushes, and once we see them coming from the wrong side, we stop them before they try to flee.

"We ask for their licence details and file the FIR on the spot, and also provide them with a copy. We spare only those in the middle of a medical emergency." Traffic officials are hoping to come across fewer violators after this drive as people would now be more scared to break the law.

Hundreds brought to book
Their efforts have been instrumental in bringing 530 such cases to book so far. Gaikwad, who has been registering most of the cases said, "They can get bail by producing a witness or paying Rs 5,000 in cash. Following that, till the time the chargesheet is filed, they have to keep visiting the court."

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Not many can convert life's lemons to lemonades as seamlessly as Arjun Rampal can. Caught in Karjat where he was shooting when the lockdown was announced last month, the actor decided to extend his stay at his lavish home, instead of scurry back to Mumbai.

"I thought it would be better to operate from here instead of travel at this point. I have a house here, so it worked out well," says Rampal, who is accompanied by partner Gabriella Demetriades and their son, Arik.

That Karjat has, so far, remained largely unscathed by COVID-19 was another bonus. "We decided to stay back for my son's safety. While he is too young now, this will be a story to tell him when he grows older. Besides, Mumbai is just a few hours away, and hence, easily accessible in case of an emergency."

Spending two months in the lap of nature has converted him into "a farmer", of sorts, he jokes, adding that his family is making the most of the hiatus. "Since there are no cases here, we are secure. We have an open space and [are enjoying] being amid nature instead of confined to an apartment," says the actor, adding that he is also keeping tabs on his daughters Mahikaa and Myra, who are with ex-wife Mehr in Mumbai. "They are doing their work online, and I am constantly chatting with them."

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Actor Arjun Rampal along with his family have extended a helping hand in providing PPE kits to the hospitals, doctors and nurses to help them in the fight against coronavirus. He also urged people to donate 1 uniform for these corona warriors to keep them safe and healthy.

The 47-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared a post in which he announced that the Rampal family has extended their support to MEDIQ LIFESCIENCES for providing PPE kits (made in India) in collaboration with Dr Oarsman Doshi to the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) hospital doctors and nurses.

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

I request all of you to help here. The real hero’s out there, (the doctors and nurses), the PPE. their health is in jeopardy daily, looking after ours, As unfortunately they are not equipped with the armour they need, making them sick by the corona virus. If each one of you can donate just 1 uniform for these brave hearts, it will keep your soldiers safe and healthy. Please please be generous, they need this and we will get it to them. It’s Rs. 1200 for the best suits for them, Below are the details Acc name MediQ Lifesciences Acc no 50200047998462 Ifsc code HDFC0000047 Account type Current ac Orlem, malad west branch#fightagainstcorona @doc.dd @darshan2609 #stayhome #staysafe

A post shared by Arjun (@rampal72) onApr 21, 2020 at 5:54am PDT

The 'Aankhein' actor also urged others to contribute towards helping the frontline warriors. He captioned the post as, "I request all of you to help here. The real hero's out there, (the doctors and nurses), the PPE. their health is in jeopardy daily, looking after ours, As unfortunately they are not equipped with the armour they need, making them sick by the coronavirus. If each one of you can donate just 1 uniform for these brave hearts, it will keep your soldiers safe and healthy. Please please be generous, they need this and we will get it to them. It's Rs 1200 for the best suits for them."

India's count of positive coronavirus cases reached 18,985 after 1,329 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday. Out of the total cases, 15,122 are active cases, 3,259 have been cured and discharged and one has migrated. With 44 new deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the toll stands at 603.

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Actress Raveena Tandon has come up with a social media campaign #JeetegaIndiaJeetengeHum to stop the spread of rumours amid the COVID-19 crisis, and also urge people not to attack the frontline workers.

Several healthcare workers in India have been attacked as they battle to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus. So, Raveena has made a special video in which she is seen appealing people to understand the severe health crisis and also appreciate the crucial role of doctors amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

"I feel it's extremely important for all of us to do our bit by encouraging the real heroes, our doctors and nurses who are stepping out everyday and fighting this deadly coronavirus. They haven't met their families to keep us and our families safe and that's why through my campaign -- #JeetegaIndiaJeetengeHum -- I request everyone to give these medical forces their due respect and at the same time not spread false rumours. I'm hopeful we will all see the light sooner together," she said.

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Over one lakh students from 659 schools will be trained across the country to assemble solar lamps under the `Solar Urja through Localisation for Sustainability' (SoULS) project of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) on October 2.

Workshops will be held for this purpose at various places on Mahatma Gandhi's birth anniversary, said Chetan Singh Solanki of IIT-Bombay who heads the SoULS project. It is part of an initiative of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), he said.

The objective is to "sensitise our future generation" about importance of solar technology, he said. The initiative also reaffirms India's commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and the MNRE's goal of installation of 100 GW of renewable energy by 2022, he said.

IIT-B will observe October 2 as `International Day of Non-Violence to Environment', Solanki said. The SoULS program has trained several people from rural areas to assemble solar study lamps, he said. The participating students will take home the solar study lamps assembled by them.

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Members of koli society in Naigaon are fed up with the influx of drug addicts in their area. Triggered after the alleged suicide of a young junkie from their society a few days ago, they have decided to catch the menace in their nets, so to speak.

They have started rounding up druggies in the area and, one by one, taking them to be admonished in front of their parents, in a bid to make the elders aware what their kids are up to and work towards putting a stop to it.

Around 400 men and women from Amol Nagar, Parera Nagar, Vijaya Park, Mariyam Nagar, Koliwada and Kuchuda have started patrolling the area at night and have, so far, caught 15-odd drug addicts red-handed. The youths, after being taken to their families, were warned that they would be taken to the police if they were caught again.

Fighting the good fight
A social worker from the area, Ashish Vertak, said, "The population of Naigaon has increased in the past few years and is set to rise further with hundreds of complexes and colonies under construction. While this has brought a lot of people from other parts of the city to stay here, their bad habits have followed too.

"We have seen people sitting by the seashore drinking and getting high at night; many of them are youths from our society. We are simple fisherfolk and don't want such nuisance in our area. Hence, we decided to fight the root of the disease and started communicating with others from the society."

Hundreds of residents have started patrolling the area at night. Pics/Hanif Patel

The residents have created a WhatsApp group and also formed a sangathan, named Naigaon Koli Vyasanmukti Thalaval. The latter's founder members are Yogesh Bhayandarkar, Mahindra Bhayandarkar, Nivrutti Ghusekar, Satish Koli, Pravin Vartak, Sai Bokale, Nandakumar Vaity, Hemant Holekar, Hemant Masnekar, Sada Godavarikar, and Vijay Vaity.

Saving the children
Mayur Bhayandarkar,
sangathan member
'Over the past several years, we have seen more and more youths getting addicted to drugs. Through this campaign, we are trying to save our children and make
them aware how narcotics will destroy their lives. If we don't do this, who will? All we want is for them to come out of this rut'

Satish Koli,
founder member of sangathan
'After seeing teenagers fall prey to the habit, we decided to fight to remove this disease from the root. We held discussions with other locals and started this campaign. We are now planning to meet police officers and request them to take strict action against those involved in selling drugs and destroying the future of our children'

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Girgaum Chowpatty in South Mumbai is set to undergo a major transformation. The beach will be declared Mumbai's first Clean Street Hub by the Food Safety Standards of India(FSSI) and the Food and Drugs Administration(FDA) on February 28.

The shop vendors will wear uniforms which have logos of their individual brands and swachhata ambassadors will pick up litter and educate citizens about public hygiene. The beach will also have live performances by street artists.

Mumbai Mirror quoted Vishwas Mote, assistant commissioner D ward as saying, We received FDA and FSSI guidelines from Delhi under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan on maintaining hygiene at Bhel Plaza. We had audited the stalls in December and completed their training in January."

He also added that the trees around the stalls will have tree guards and seating arrangements will be made for people to sit and enjoy live performances on the beach.

"This is being revamped to international standards. There will more lights for the stalls. And to inculcate a sense of responsibility in keeping the stalls clean, the stall owners will hire two swachhta ambassadors. They will pick up any thrown litter, and will educate people on civic sense, to make them responsible for their own garbage."

Mote also mentioned that the Swachhata ambassadors will be given white uniforms and white caps. He said, "It is a multi-directional approach, where even helpers and chefs will sport branded uniforms for each stall, and the boards and nameplates will have a uniform design. The common hand-washing area for patrons will also be spruced up."

A vendor, Atul Gupta said that they had received training for four hours from the BMC.

He added, "We were told that if we had any vices like chewing tobacco or smoking, we should do it outside the beach, and not while serving customers. We were given minute details about washing hands and serving customers. We were instructed not just to clean the work stations, but also the inside of refrigerators. If we keep our surroundings clean, it will also keep rats and roaches at bay."

Indrani Malkani who is the member of the high-powered committee appointed by Bombay High Court said, "Hygiene is an all-encompassing aspect. Not just cooking part, but even when they are washing up. Street food is a great attraction in South East Asian countries, and Girgaum Chowpatty is synonymous with bhelpuri. The idea of inculcating hygiene habits among those who make and serve food is the prime focus."

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A Bandra boy is bringing back the music from the streets of Mumbai in a new avatar, with the debut of the ensemble Bombay Brass this Friday. And who better to combine the essence of Bombay and jazz than Rhys Sebastian, who was brought up by his musician mother Merlin D'Souza and grandfather, cello maestro Sebastian D'Souza? "It was inspiring to watch my mother work and provide for the family. The possibility of doing something apart from music — writing about football, for example — was there, but this is where I belong," the 30-year-old Manchester United fan shares.

Rhys Sebastian

His new ensemble, comprising Robin Fargose (trumpet), ID Rao (tenor sax), Ramon Ibrahim (trombone), Jehangir Jehangir (drums), Saurabh Suman (bass), Zohran Miranda (guitar) and Rahul Wadhwani (keys), is a result of his quest for his own sound and is more about experiencing the music than about just being a collective, Sebastian says. "It's about bringing the musical experience from the streets to the stage and giving it back to the audience. I love that energy and we tap into the same, making it inclusive for musicians as well as the audience," he adds.

In a way, their music will bring together Bombay and New Orleans, he points out. "I've always loved the hustle and bustle of Bombay, which I feel is a distant relative of New Orleans. Both have similar street music, with a lot of brass [like in wedding bands here]. I love the rawness of that sound. I love the freedom of expression in both these cities. What we are doing is not something that I have seen here," he adds.

Saurabh Suman

Besides doing Amy Winehouse and Stevie Wonder covers, the band will also have some Shankar Jaikishan songs that Sebastian's grandfather had originally rearranged. "I love Bollywood songs from the '60s and '70s, like Mera Naam Joker. I'm looking forward to bringing that back with a lot of brass," Sebastian informs. Their two originals for the evening promise to talk about the city, including about the traffic on the roads.

Sebastian is also working on a project called The Bartender with music director Mikey McLeary, where they will reinvent old songs from the '60s and '70s with a 10-piece band that will include three horn players and vocalists Shalmali Kholgade, Saba Azad, Rachel Varghese and Anjuli Sarvanaman.

ON March 15, 9 pm onwards
AT The Quarter, Royal Opera House, Mathew Road, Opera House, Girgaum.
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A blood donation camp organised at the government-run Bombay Veterinary College on Thursday, saw seven dog parents lining up to get their pets to donate blood. As the hospital does not have a blood bank yet, the plasma and blood cells were extracted from the donated blood to be preserved for treatment of sick dogs in emergency situations, doctors said.

When 23-year-old Anita Mehra had rushed an injured dog to the Bombay Veterinary College around a month ago, the canine was bleeding profusely owing to a road accident. Doctors said that he had suffered from internal bleeding and needed a blood transfusion. Now named Tony, the stray has recovered completely and is awaiting adoption.

Tony is just one of many such dogs falling prey to road accidents every year, losing litres of blood. This how the idea for a blood donation camp for dogs came to the hospital authorities.

More than 100 stray dogs have individually donated blood here in the past four years. This blood has not only been used for dogs who are victims of accidents but also for the ones suffering from blood-related disorders. On a daily basis, the animal hospital receives five to ten cases where blood transfusion is required for injured or sick dogs.

A donation camp was, however, organised for the very first time by the hospital. While around 20 dogs were registered for the donation, around 15 of them turned up. Seven of these were found suitable for donation.

Fit for donation
The donor pet needs to be on an empty stomach at the time of donation, weigh not less than 20 kg and be in the age group 1-9 years. Dogs can donate a bag of blood (350 ml) once in three months. "Seven such units were collected on Thursday. As we cannot store whole blood, we have extracted the plasma and blood cells which can be separately stored for a year. Whole blood, on the other hand, lasts only six months," said Dr J C Khanna, director of the hospital.

Universal donors ideal
After donation, the blood is separated into further components that help in the treatment of dogs suffering from liver diseases, anaemia, internal bleeding, etc. As per the Canine Health Foundation, dogs, much like humans, have types of blood classified into groups. Dogs have over a dozen different blood groups, six of which are fairly common.

Both humans and dogs can be classified as universal donors based on their type or group. Roughly 40 per cent of dogs belong to the universal donor group. Blood from dogs belonging to the universal donor group is compatible with any recipient's blood. Dogs, too, can suffer adverse reactions to transfused blood that is of a different type than theirs, the hospital stated.

Criteria for a donor dog
* Weigh more than 20 kg
* Be in the 1-9 years age group
* Must be on an empty stomach
* Must not have donated blood in the past three months

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UN Women India launched a video campaign called #MujheHaqHai on Wednesday which emphasises the power and potential of women in today's world.

The video features a host of independent and courageous women, who have excelled in their respective spheres and mapped India globally. The video sends out a strong message for female empowerment to women all over India with the belief that they have an equal participation in all walks of life.

Apurva Purohit, the President of Jagran Group, is one of the prominent personalities featured in the video alongside the likes of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Mithali Raj and Sania Mirza, to name a few.

Apurva Purohit, President, Jagran Group

Apurva Purohit said, "It’s an absolute honour to be a part of this initiative by UN Women India. Any and every small step towards the empowerment of women and giving them their rightful place under the sun is the need of the hour today. We need more examples of women who are breaking barriers every day so that the girls tomorrow can rise and shine. While there is enough discourse on everything that is not right, this initiative is a beacon of hope, one that celebrates the struggles, dreams and aspirations of women who have emerged as winners. #MujheHaqHai is an ode to the undying spirit and grit of the woman of today."

At the launch event, mid-day online caught up with Nishtha Satyam (Deputy Representative UN Women India MCO), who stated that, "Through this event, we are trying to create a movement that is based on Human Rights, a movement that recognises women rights as Human Rights, where women exercise their voice and make choices without any fear or judgement, and shape their careers and lives. We are trying to create a movement based on women understanding their own rights as individuals."

Talking about the outcome, she added, "Women should realise their own potential and rights and be able to pursue their dreams without any inhibitions or fear of repercussions. That would be the grandest outcome from a movement like this."

Representational picture

While you are upgrading your wardrobe with Summer staples like floral dresses, shorts and tank tops, don’t forget to amp up your style with the perfect handbag. From carry-it-all oversized tote bags to stylish circular bags that are the rage, refresh your wardrobe with the top handbags for the season with tips from Narendra Kumar, Creative Director, Amazon Fashion!

Fringed and tasseled
Fringes and tassels are one of the key trends this season. A leather sling back with flirty fringes makes for the perfect daytime bag but be sure to incorporate just the right amount. For a bohemian look carry a fringe bag with a floral dress. Balance it out by keeping the rest of your outfit simple and straight with basic accessories.

Bucket bags
The bucket bag is an absolute must have in your wardrobe. While the structure is more casual, with minimalist designs and neutral hues, these look sophisticated and chic. Open bucket bags have a thick strap on top whereas closed bucket bags have drawstrings around the top.

Circular bags
Here is a refreshing new trend for Spring-Summer. These circular shaped bags will add a fun and distinctive touch to your whole look. Go for sleek, elegant designs in solid colors. If you are looking for something more casual, get a textured leather bag or denim with patchwork. These are quite small but come in a huge variety of styles.

Oversized tote and hobo
Oversized totes and hobos are the best bags to carry it all! These can easily transition from your work wear to a casual everyday bag. While neutrals work best with formals, a bright oversized bag is all you need for a day at the beach. However, since oversized bags tend to look bulky or slouchy, get a structured one.

Mini bags
Along with oversized bags, mini bags have also become a popular choice. Although these are very small, it can be a statement piece. Mini bags come with cute detailing like bows or buckles in boxy shapes. Pick a pastel colored mini bag with a top handle to carry your basic essentials.

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Give your mother a break from routine, pamper her with a breakfast in bed or a spa hamper for Mother's Day, which falls on May 13 this year. Mikita Laad Gupta, Senior Designer at Bonito Designs and Abraham Santhosh, Head Designer of Elegancia, have shared ways which can help you bring a smile on your mother's face:

1. A day free from the 'Mom routine': Mothers never get a day off from their daily routine and they never complain too. Every mother always has a list of things she needs to do, so why not do it for her? Let her relax at home while you do the grocery shopping, run to the post office, pick up dry-cleaning or whatever else Mom needs you to do. She will definitely appreciate the gesture!

2. Breakfast in bed: The first part of Mother's Day should be her breakfast. A meal ordered from her favourite restaurant. Let her relax and not think about breakfast for everyone at home, because you have already taken care of it.

3. Sparkle up the home for her: Cleaning the house is a huge task for every mother. On this day, help her out by cleaning it before she starts her day. Fix those things that she always wanted to be repaired and make her day.

4. Home decor makeover: Mothers always want to make a change in their house, but they never really get the time for it due to their daily chores and work. This Mother's Day, make her dream come true by doing what she has always wanted to - could be a vegetable garden, or a mini library or a music library or even revamp the sitting room.

5. Pamper her with a spa hamper: Everyone loves a massage, some of them crave for a fresh manicure and pedicure. Some of them have not had a good haircut and colour since a long time. So here's a chance to pamper your mother with a spa hamper and let her have a relaxing day and look pretty as she always should.

6. A photo family tree: Everyone loves to see their old photos. It brings back memories and family tree of photos is the best way to see everyone you love right there. Create a family tree of photos on a wall at home as a surprise for her as she has always wanted to do it but never had the time.

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A dog with pro-BJP stickers on its body was detained along with his master in north Maharashtra's Nandurbar town where polling for the Lok Sabha elections took place Monday.

Eknath Motiram Chaudhary (65), a resident of Navnathnagar area, was spotted with his dog near Andhare hospital Monday afternoon. The dog's body was found covered with stickers bearing the BJP's symbol and the message "Modi Lao, Desh Bachao" (Vote for Modi and save the country), a local police official said.

As the polling was underway, police had received a complaint about the dog and his master who were roaming around the town, he said.

A case was registered against Choudhary under section 171 (A) of the IPC for violation of election rules which prohibit campaigning on polling day. The police have asked the municipal corporation to take custody of the dog, the official added.

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A Nepalese farmer’s son will walk the ramp at the upcoming Mumbai style extravaganza, Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2017, and ‘he’ isn’t modeling menswear Anjali Lama, born Navin Waiba to a family of agriculturists in Nuwakot, is Nepal’s first transgender model. In another first, she is about to become the first transgender person to model clothes at an Indian fashion show next month.

Before Anjali, 32, could tackle the identity crisis, she was battling poverty. “My family is uneducated. We hail from a small village. We had no electricity when we were growing up. I completed my education by studying under lanterns,” she says, her flawless skin showing no signs of the struggle when we meet her at a central Mumbai hotel.

But juggling her dreams with anguish was something she learnt early. For as long as she can remember, Anjali wanted to be a girl. Finding solace in the company of her late mother and female friends, she realised she didn’t identify with the gender she was assigned at birth. “By the time i hit my teens, I was drifting away from the family. My brothers wondered what was wrong; they had already heard rumours. I decided to come out. When I did, they told me to stay away from the family. But my mother supported me. She would have been thrilled to see this,” she says, taking a moment.

Anjali’s success coincided with Nepal making progress in recognising the rights of transgender communities. The country allows its citizens to choose their gender identity, and issues passports with a third gender category.

In Kathmandu, where she moved to find her freedom, she was ostracized in the hospitality industry that she tried breaking into. Then, she met others like her and was guided to a community center that worked for LGBT rights. Friends suggested that with her lean frame (she’s 5’ 9”) and killer cheekbones, she stood a chance at modelling. “I liked the sound of it,” she says about the career she dabbled in back in 2009 while continuing to work for the centre. When she was featured on the cover of Voice of Women, a Nepalese magazine, that same year, she thought it would be her big break. “There were times I was better than the others but didn’t make it. My trainer at a modelling agency admitted it was my orientation that was coming in the way of success. Brands didn't want to associate with me.”

The next year, when she walked for an event titled, Monsoon Fashion Show, she caught a blogger’s eye, who told her story to the world. That was the turning point. “By 2016, I had established myself in Nepal,” she recollects, although she was yet to crack a premier fashion week. “I didn’t have the money to travel far or invest in an expensive photoshoot.” India was close at hand. She wrote to the Lakmé organisers last year to check if they’d entertain an entry from a transgender model. And although, they were game, she failed the audition. A disappointed Anjali returned to Nepal but couldn’t take the idea of walking the ramp before hundreds out of her head.

“I couldn’t sleep, and began working out to distract myself. I spent the year reaching out to agencies in Mumbai, gymming and learning the catwalk from youtube videos. “The models out there were young, beautiful. I was already 30,” she says, explaining how an attempt to put on weight with calorie rich foods ended in acquiring a paunch. “I decided to work out every day for 30 minutes, and managed to crack the auditions this year. I was in the top 5.”

Anjali says if she hadn’t made it, she was planning to quit modelling. But that’s another story.

Shacking up with friends at an apartment in Santacruz, she is already dreaming big the way everyone does in Mumbai. The breast augmentation she underwent in 2010 was a step towards transitioning fully, which she hopes to do with a sex change surgery. “I hear things get better for models with this big a platform, but my orientation worries me. That the fashion industry is a lot more open gives me hope,” she says, wondering if she’ll ever model for the designer she has her heart set on. “Manish Malhotra… I want to walk for him.”

'I realised I’m not the typical model'
He is “obsessed” with Manish Malhotra’s designs, but also digs Sabyasachi and Manish Arora. That’s a string of strong likes for someone who will model on the Indian runway for the first time.

Czech-born Petr Nitka, 23, is used to making news. And it’s no different here, with a ramp gig planned at fashion week in early February. Hailed as Czechoslovakia’s first gender-neutral model, Petr says over an email from his country that he, like his colleagues back home, is curious about what Indian designers are going to dress him in.

Having taken to modelling like fish to water, Petr first modeled for designer Alexandra Blanc at the South Africa Fashion Week in July 2016. Johanessburg-based menswear designer Roman Handt saw an article on him in a publication the next day, and was keen that Petr become the face of his brand.

A career in fashion, predictably, allowed him to explore his passion for make-up and clothes. Growing up in Ostrava, a city in north-east Czech Republic, he remembers a childhood marked by an unusual interest in getting made up. “When I was a kid, I was disappointed that I couldn't wear make-up or nice clothes. Contrary to that, I feel free now.”

His mother’s support and a move to Australia to pursue academics proved to be game changers. The trip led to a meeting with independent photographer Bharathan Kangatheran in Perth. When pictures from a shoot were published in a leading magazine, Petr met his moment of truth. “I realised that I wasn’t the typical model. The best aspect of being a gender-neutral model was that I could pursue my profound love for fashion.”

Petr, who in an interview to fashion magazine, Emma, last year, said he was a bit of a man and woman (“I am empathetic [like a woman] but I am lazy like a man. I’m a mix of both sexes.”), has worked towards moving away from conventional gender identification. Gender-neutral persons prefer not to identify as man or woman, and have recently begun taking on unisex pronouns like ‘they’ or ‘them’. Petr’s variegated choices reflect in long, mascara-lined lashes and unwaxed arms.

When he isn’t working, Peter prefers to dress in unisex clothing. “But I am skinny and it is difficult to find basic male clothing. I prefer simple fashion for women — skinny jeans and tops. They look like they were made just for me.”

Petr is excited at walking the ramp in India, because it’s only in strange places that he has found fame and acceptance. His career really began outside of his own country after he found that no Czech agency wanted to represent him. Now, he walks for brands that make menswear (Brandt) and womenswear (Jaroslava Prochazkova, Marcel Holubec, Lukas Krnac). Although, he does admit to designers finding it challenging to figure what they will dress him in.

Is Manish Malhotra racking his brain?

Major Anuj Sood, 31, one of the five officers killed in an encounter with terrorists at a village in Rajwar forests of North Kashmir, had already completed his operational tenure in the Valley and was about to get a new posting when the lockdown happened. As a result, Sood, who lived in Pune with his wife Aakriti, had to continue his tenure in Kashmir.

Speaking to mid-day over phone from Dharamshala, Aakriti, daughter of a retired Marine Commando from Indian Navy, Commander Kashmira Singh, said, “He was posted in J&K and the last time I saw him was on November 30, 2019.” Aakriti, who worked as an HR professional in a French company in Pune, resigned in March and left for Dharamshala with her father on March 17, as Major Sood was supposed to get a new posting.

However, due to the lockdown he had to continue with his tenure in the Valley. Aakriti and Major Sood became friends and got married on September 29, 2017.

“A few days after the marriage, Major Sood left to join duty in J&K,” said Commander (retd) Singh. Major Sood's father is a retired Army officer and lives in Chandigarh where his mortal remains will be taken on Monday to conduct his final rites. He is survived by his parents and two sisters, Shruti, who is settled in Australia and Harshita, who is a captain in the Indian Army.

Speaking to mid-day, his father, brigadier (retd) Chanderkant Sood, said he received the news of his death around 8.30 am on Sunday. “He had come on leave in November to attend a family wedding and then returned to join work in December. Though his tenure in the Valley was already over, it got extended due to the lockdown. But we were in constant touch with each other over phone and WhatsApp. Three days ago we spoke over the phone,” he added. Due to his father's transferable job, Major Sood studied in the Army public schools in Delhi, Luckow, Jaunpur, etc. “He always wanted to serve the nation as a defence officer and also wished to study in the same school where I completed my education. He joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) in July 2008. He completed his NDA training in May 2011 and the training for Indian Military Academy on June 9, 2012,” added Brigadier (retd) Sood.

“My younger daughter Harshita is also in the Indian Army and posted in Rajouri. She is a national level shooter and at present she is undergoing a training in Mau,” he said. The parents and wife of Major Sood are in touch with the defence personnel in J&K for regular updates about the ongoing operation there.

30
Day in November 2019 that Major Sood last met his wife

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Indian boxing's High Performance Director Santiago Nieva expects the national camp to resume at least partially next month and foresees no hiccups in fans rushing back to live sport in the age of social distancing as he feels people always "look for risks". The seasoned coach, who has been with the Indian team since 2017, is quite optimistic of things improving by the beginning of next month despite the rising COVID-19 cases as well as the number of deaths in the country. "I think the camp will restart next month. If not full strength, then at least the core group," he told PTI. The core group comprises the ones who have already qualified for the Olympics and those who are seen to be strong contenders to make the cut in future qualifiers.

Asked what gives him the belief that camps would be good to go if the national lockdown ends on May 3, the Swede said, "That's my hunch. Of course I can be wrong but I think we will be able to restart early next month." "Humans have the ability to adapt to different situations. And I think here, people are facing up to the reality quite well even though it is an unprecedented crisis." Talking of the crisis and its impact on sports, Nieva said things would never be the same again but asserted that people will not give up on live sports either. "In amateur boxing, we are used to fighting in empty halls, so no fan concerns for us," he joked. "But seriously speaking, yes, there will be more restrictions on movement of people, the security is going to be tighter, it won't be that easy to travel. But fans, they are going to rush back at the first opportunity," he predicted. "People don't care. I think they should be more careful but mostly they are not. They will come back easily because they have been confined at homes for too long.

"They like to be risky. You can see it even now. Look at Europe and US, people are just refusing to follow the lockdowns, they are flocking bars, restaurants despite strict measures. You think they will stop once all these restrictions are lifted?" Nieva is currently in Patiala's National Institute of Sports, busy delivering lectures in online classes for coaches by the Sports Authority of India. "The technology has to be better for these classes to have more impact but overall, I think it is the future as far as complementing live training is concerned. Obviously, it cannot replace live training," he said of his experience so far. "It can be a bit disconcerting when you are not able to see the 250 odd people who are listening to you but you get used to it," he added. Asked if boxers have been reaching out to him while being at their respective homes during this period, Nieva said, "Sometimes, not often. They call up to tell if they are struggling with the equipment but overall they have adapted well." "It's not an optimum situation and as I said earlier, we have to face up to the reality," he signed off brushing aside any concerns of his own when quizzed about the considerable time he has spent away from his family in Sweden.

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The next swimming world championships, scheduled for summer 2021 in Japan, have been pushed back until May 2022 following the postponement of the Olympic Games, the sport's governing body said Monday. The world championships were due to be held in Fukuoka next year from July 16-August 1 but will instead take place from May 13-29 in 2022, the international swimming federation (FINA) said in a statement.

The 2020 Olympic Games were delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, and will now run from July 23-August 8 in 2021. "After liaising with the relevant stakeholders and receiving feedback from them, we have no doubt that the decision taken will provide the best possible conditions for all participants at the championships," said FINA president Julio Maglione. "At a time of unprecedented uncertainty, FINA hopes the announcement of these dates will allow for some clarity in planning for all concerned." The world aquatics championships also feature diving, open water swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo.

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Ayam Goreng Kalasan with Sambal Kacang

Last October, when Priyadarshini Gupta travelled for a three-week trip to Indonesia, she signed up for a day-long cooking class with a local chef in Yogyakarta, a culturally rich city on the island of Java. She learnt to identify native produce, whip up traditional Indonesian fare - including sambal, a hot sauce of Javanese origin - and even noted the substitutes for ingredients not available in Mumbai. "One example is tempeh [a traditional product made from fermented soy], which is cut into thin slices and fried till crisp and served as an accompaniment with many dishes. The chef suggested tapioca or potato slices for a similar crunch," says the 46-year-old corporate consultant.

Priyadarshini Gupta at a cooking class in Indonesia

This weekend, if you drop in at Gupta's Versova home, you'll find the crunchy potato slices accompanying two dishes - Soto Ayam and Gado Gado - that are part of The Indonesian Kitchen, a dinner pop-up presented by Commeat. While the home chef and former Masterchef India contestant has been hosting meals of regional cuisines like Bengali and Oriya for over a year, this will be her first international meal pop-up.

Soto Ayam

"The menu features dishes from across Indonesia," says Gupta. For instance, Gado Gado is a salad packed with steamed vegetables, prawns or chicken and the traditional dressing of sambal kacang, a cooked version of the condiment with a peanut base. It's a prominent feature on the menus of warungs, or mom-and-pop establishments that dot Indonesia. Meanwhile, Ayam Goreng Kalasan (fried chicken marinated in coconut milk), a starter, is a popular street snack across the Southeast Asian nation. The starters also include Pisang Goreng (fried bananas coated with rice flour) and Rempeyek Kacang, a snack that Gupta calls 'Indonesian mathri' since it's made in a manner similar to the Indian snack, but with peanuts and rice flour.

Spicy Steamed Tofu 

The mains feature Soto Ayam, a one-bowl dish with poached chicken or prawns, flavoured with macadamia nuts, light soy and Balinese egg noodles, and Gule Kambing, an aromatic lamb curry laced with macadamia nuts and spices like cinnamon, galangal and lemongrass. If you're a vegetarian, try Soto Ayam with tofu and shiitake mushrooms, or opt for Sayur Nangka, a gravy dish starring jackfruit soaked in coconut milk. The menu includes Spicy Steamed Tofu, a baked tofu dish made with shiitake mushrooms. "This is a contemporary version. Traditionally, it is steamed in a banana leaf," she says.

Longtong

The accompaniments include Longtong (compressed and steamed rice cakes) and steamed rice. "While Thais use sticky rice, Indonesians prefer the long-grained jasmine rice. Indonesian cuisine also features tamarind, jaggery and nuts like almond and peanuts - all ground - in the gravies. They might sound similar to Indian dishes but their taste is distinct," says Gupta.

End the meal with Nagasari, banana-based steamed rice flour cakes.

On: September 9, 7 pm to 10 pm
At: Versova, Andheri West.
Log on to: bit.ly/2iNSGdF
Cost: Rs 1,400

You may also like - Photos: Your hunt for top 10 eggless desserts in Mumbai ends here

Lewis Hamilton

F1's Lewis Hamilton has said that he has gradually moved to veganism over the past two years after TV documentary inspired him to do so to improve his health and avoid harming the planet.

Mercedes driver, Hamilton said he had changed his habits after watching a documentary about the environmental impact of the meat industry.

"It is something I have been going towards anyway. I stopped eating red meat two years ago," he told the BBC.

"This year I stopped eating chicken and then kind of went back to it and now I've stopped again. So I have generally been pescatarian for the majority of the year and then I cut out fish too."

He added: "I have actually eaten plant-based food for the last two days and it has been amazing. So far, I don't feel as if I have been missing out. I don't know how easy it is going to be when I get home. That is going to be a real test."

Also see: Ex-cricketers in their current jobs: Uber driver, bus stand cleaner

Don Bosco team pose with the Ahmed Sailor Cup at the Cooperage ground yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Dwayne Pereira's goal helped Don Bosco High School (Matunga) defend their title with a 1-0 win against Campion School (Cooperage) in the final of the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)-organised Ahmed Sailor boys under-16 football tournament at Cooperage football ground yesterday.

This is the third time the Matunga side have won the knockout title on the trot. Don Bosco were close to scoring in the fifth minute, but Sherwyn D'Souza's header was blocked by goalkeeper Rahul Verma. Five minutes later, midfielder Nihal Dudwadkar's shot from the 30-yard circle landed wide. Mannan Dang was fouled by Hriday Dhakad, but the defending champs were unable to capitalise on the opportunity.

Campion too had their fair share of chances in the game. Aashad Vesuna missed to score from the 18-yard box as the ball went sailing over the goalpost. During the 22nd minute, Campion had another chance of scoring off a free kick, but Aryaan Majumdar's attempt from the right corner was blocked by a sturdy Bosco wall. After the lemon break, Don Bosco continued to search for a goal and were rewarded. Skipper Dwayne Pereira scored the only goal in the 44th minute.

Don Bosco coach Leslie Machado was happy his side were able to display an aggressive show. "Since it is the last year for most of the boys, this win is very special for them," he said. "This win is dedicated to Leslie sir and because of him we were able to bring out our A game," Dwayne added.

Joining Punjab Police's 'Main Bhi Harjeet Singh' campaign named after the police personnel whose hand was chopped off on duty, actor Anil Kapoor on Tuesday paid tribute to the frontline warriors who are fighting against COVID-19. The superstar took to Twitter to express solidarity and laud the frontline workers.

Here’s a salute to our front line warriors! You have our full support and we stand in solidarity with you in this war!#MainBhiHarjeetSingh #MainBhiPunjabPolice

— Anil Kapoor (@AnilKapoor) April 28, 2020

"Here's a salute to our front-line warriors! You have our full support and we stand in solidarity with you in this war!" Kapoor tweeted and adding hashtags #MainBhiHarjeetSingh and #MainBhiPunjabPolice to his tweet.

"Main Bhi Harjeet Singh" - Personnel of Punjab Police on Monday sported name badges of their colleague, whose hand was chopped off while he was trying to impose COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the state.

The initiative was part of a day-long campaign launched on Monday by Dinkar Gupta, DGP Punjab to display solidarity towards Sub-Inspector Harjeet Singh, who was part of the police team that came under attack allegedly by a group of Nihangs who were asked to show their curfew passes at a vegetable market in Patiala on April 12.

Doctors had reattached the hand of the 50-year-old in a surgery post the attack.

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Rahul Bose has been in association with Akshara Centre, an NGO that works towards women empowerment, to develop a campaign against domestic violence for over a decade. The actor believes the video—titled #LockdownOnDomesticViolence and featuring a string of celebrities, including Karan Johar, Sachin Tendulkar, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma—was the need of the hour as cases of domestic violence have witnessed a spike amid the lockdown.

"The video had to be in three languages—Marathi, because the majority of our state understands the language, and Hindi, for the migrant population in the state. The English campaign has been noticed by people the world over," says Bose.

The state government has launched several numbers, including the uniform state helpline number 100, where women can register their complaints. One can probably determine the endeavour's success by studying if there has been a drop in the cases reported since the video released. However, he disagrees, "We have to consider the other possibility that domestic violence is continuing, and yet, women can't report it."

Ever since the release of Kabir Singh in 2019, and consequently, Thappad earlier this year, there has been a larger discussion about representation of casual violence on screen. The actor, however, believes movies have minimal effect on social behaviour. "There's little co-relation between the two factors. Films don't need to carry a positive message, but they shouldn't carry a negative one, that does disservice. A ground-up campaign, in which the same message is passed on consistently, film on film, year on year, can change behaviour more than a movie can." To make his case, he cites how the state of California launched a multi-media campaign against tobacco consumption, leading to a 12 per cent drop in sales after 20 years. "So, looking at the misogyny and status of women in India, we need a ground campaign over decades to attain gender justice. Then the Delhi gangrape happened, there was a significant push forward, but we need to be at it for decades."

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Ananya Panday and The Vamps' guitarist James McVey are coming together to raise awareness about social media bullying. The live session will be hosted on May 8 on Instagram.

The actor says, "Social media bullying is an evil that people face every day on the numerous platforms that they use in their daily lives. I'm glad that James McVey and I will be fighting this evil together in our own small way."

Ananya further said, "The world is going through a tough time and it is even more important to be kind to everyone and spread positivity." The session is being put together by the actor's initiative, So Positive, which aims to negate the spread of social media bullying.

McVey added, "During this difficult time, we find ourselves using social media more than ever. Regardless of where you live or your background, it's important to remember that you are never alone. Millions of others are going through the same traumatic experience and I believe together we further the conversation and join the fight to end bullying. I'm looking forward to speaking with Ananya on 'So Positive' to learn more about her experiences."

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Telly actor Saumya Tandon is part of a campaign to distribute reusable masks and face shields to frontline workers on the streets. The Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai actor was spotted in Andheri distributing the kits to vegetable vendors and police personnel.

Main bhi artist

Aishwarya Sakhuja, who has taken up sketching during the lockdown, is enjoying the process. "I never thought I would be good at it, but I've surprised myself. I still have a long way to go but my friends have been loving my sketches," she adds.

Mamma mia

Jag Jaanani Maa Vaishno Devi actor Madirakshi Mundle is bonding with her mother during the lockdown. She has special plans for Mother's Day. "I plan to cook her favourite meal and refurbish an old saree to a suit with embroidery work on it."

The web game

Mere Sai actor Tushar Dalvi is set to make his digital debut on Netflix with Anurag Kashyap's Choked. He says, "Working with Anurag Kashyap is a dream come true. His films don't underplay issues."

Slambook: Parull Chaudhry

One superpower you wish to possess?
The power of illusions.

One thing you won't share?
My mom's laddoos.

Your guilty pleasure movie?
Dumb and Dumber (1994).

One thing you are guilty of?
Of unknowingly hurting my parents.

Your worst project?
Being part of an episode of supernatural show in which I played a 300-year-old witch. Wearing prosthetics was painful.

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In a first of its kind international venture, youth icons Ananya Panday and international songwriter and guitarist from The Vamps band - James McVey - are all set to come together on the former’s ‘So Positive’ platform to raise awareness about social media bullying. The live session will be hosted on 8th May 2020 at 7 pm.

James McVey, the lead guitarist, and songwriter of the internationally renowned British band The Vamps, is known globally for spreading social media positivity. The coming together of the two, Panday and McVey, marks a collaboration that goes beyond the confines of language and geography to attain more awareness on the issue. The statistics are proof of how teenagers and children are the most affected in this digital era. The number of platforms accessible to the population across the world are increasing with every passing day. This collaboration would be extremely insightful in terms of shedding light on this issue and help individuals dealing with social media bullying.

Sharing his experience James McVey said, “During this difficult time we find ourselves using social media more than ever. When I was at the receiving end of bullying I felt isolated and alone. Regardless of where you live or your background, it’s important to remember that you are never alone. Millions of others are going through the same traumatic experience and I believe together we further the conversation and join the fight to end bullying. I’m looking forward to speaking with Ananya on ‘So Positive’ to learn more about her experiences.”

Ananya Panday shares, "Social media bullying is an evil that people face every day on the numerous platforms that they use in their daily lives. I’m glad that James McVey and I will be fighting this evil together in our own small way. The world is going through a difficult time, currently and it is even more important than ever to be kind to everyone around and spread positivity. So Positive has been creating awareness through different ways and our aim continues to be to negate the spread of social media bullying by spreading positivity all across. I’m really looking forward to this insightful exchange with James”.

So Positive is a cause taken up by Ananya which is backed with substantial data, research, and behavioural statistics. The initiative aims at creating and spreading awareness about social media bullying. Its prime focus is to make people aware of the fact that this issue exists and stays very prevalent in society. Also, the steps that can be taken by the recipients of this destructive criticism in order to deal with this.

ALSO READ: Ananya Panday says Vijay Deverakonda is humble and grounded despite being a huge star

Tata Trusts has begun a pan-India community outreach to induce adoption of health practices, as promoted by the Government of India, in rural areas to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Beginning March 31, the exercise is expected to have already reached about 12 million people in 21 states.

The campaign '5 Kadam, Corona Mukt Jeevan', ranges from video messages in the country's languages, even dialects, short animation videos and infographics to audio messages, and SMS based messaging.

For wider deployment by any interested organisation, the Trusts have made publicly available through social media about 300 such videos and audio messages, in different languages, and dialects like Dongri, Kumaoni, Ladakhi, Garhwali, Santhali, Mundari, Kutchi (Gujarat) and Koborok (Tripura). All of them are available in the playlist here.

Over 70 celebrities from all over India, have lent their support with video and audio messages. Among them are Nana Patekar, Sonali Kulkarni, Harbhajan Singh, Ila Arun, Atul Kulkarni, Malini Awasthi, and Sanju Samson for Rajasthan Royals, to name a few.

The Trusts have deployed more than 430 master trainers in these 21 states who in turn have trained a pool of over 8,700 community resource persons (village volunteers) to deliver the message till the last mile.

Through the existing network of the Trusts' programmes, the volunteers, associate organisations of the Trusts, community radios, village-based public address systems, and use of various internet and communication technologies, the programme is expected to have reached out to about 12 million people till date.

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The Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) on Monday petitioned information & broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar for a relief and rehabilitation package for the broadcasting sector.

The industry sought regulatory moratorium for 18 months, phased resumption of production activities, extension of moratorium period for GST payment and for the government to mandate digital payments of subscription and advertising dues to broadcasters. It also said the Centre should issue an advisory to DPOs to release payments of subscription fees up to February-end.

Seeking a stimulus package from the government so that broadcasters can get back on track, IBF president N P Singh, said, "IBF has submitted a standard operating procedure (SOP) on prevention/ safety measures for organised, safe and sustainable restart of content production, media operations, transmission and general office operations in the TV broadcast sector to PMO, Niti Aayog and I&B ministry. The SOP will help the sector to move quickly towards normalcy and we certainly hope that the government would consider it favourably."

Apart from emphasising that the government should urgently settle all outstanding dues to the broadcasting industry, IBF also demanded waiver of processing fee and temporary live uplinking fee for live sporting events for a period of one year from the resumption of normal business activities, increase in time period of 1-2 years for operationalising new channels that are granted permission, and the suspension of requirement of performance bank guarantees for channels that are to be launched, for one year.

IBF also asked the government to defer payments due to Prasar Bharati for free dish carriage until July 2020 and said all pending refunds exceeding Rs 5 lakh should be urgently processed. It added that the government should extend the existing stay on demand for income tax for the next six months, and not seek any new hearings.

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After a series of doodle honouring coronavirus warriors, Google launched a new series since April 27 where they have been urging people to stay home and play games amid the COVID-19 crisis. Today, google shared an interactive doodle featuring the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy.

It’s day 2 of our throwback #GoogleDoodle series...

Today, crickHIT for 6 in our 2017 Doodle game celebrating cricket! 🏏🦗#GoogleDoodle → https://t.co/hokoBrGUtO pic.twitter.com/NSFpjSmbjg

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) April 28, 2020

The doodel features the letter G where a person can be seen donning a Chef's hat as he uses a rolling pin in place of a bat while the letter E shows another person ready to bowl to the batsman like a bowler. When one hovers over the final doodle, it shows the message, "Stay and play at home with popular past Google Doodles: Cricket (2017).

The game provides you a virtual experience of playing cricket at a stadium

Once clicked on the animation, google takes the user to a game where one can play cricket on a pitch. The 2017 ICC Champions Trophy doodle was originally shared to celebrate the launch of the ICC Champions Trophy. the interactive feature gives you the surreal feeling of being in a stadium while playing the sport.

Explaining the motive behind launching the 10 game series to be played at hime, Google said, "As Covid-19 continues to impact communities around the world, people and families everywhere are spending more time at home. In light of this, we're launching a throwback doodle series looking back at some of our popular interactive Google Doodle games!"

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106-year-old Mukhtar Ahmed, a resident of Central Delhi's Nawabganj, has recovered from coronavirus and been discharged from Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital. The centenarian was admitted in Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital on April 14 after been infected with the coronavirus. He was discharged on May 1. Dr BL Sherwal, Medical Director, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, a designated COVID-19 hospital said, "Whenever a patient recovers it is a proud moment for us. However, this case, due to the age of Ahmed, is inspiring news for all of us."

"Our doctors who were treating him had noticed his stern will to fight against the virus. It is the will that is important in the battle against coronavirus. Ahmed fought with the disease as bravely." On being asked about Ahmed's immunity, Dr Sherwal said, "The recovery depends on whether one's body has a mild or severe coronavirus infection."

"He has set an example that even people above hundred years can too fight coronavirus and emerge victoriously," he added.

Ahmed got the infection from his son who is still undergoing treatment. However, Ahmed is now fit and is maintaining social distance from his family members, thus, obeying the prescribed instructions.

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At least 100 people from the city will soon be on their way to Bhopal, to campaign against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur. Pragya had recently courted controversy with her statements on former Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Chief Hemant Karkare and the demolition of the Babri Masjid. She had claimed to have 'cursed' Karkare, which is why she claimed he was killed by terrorists in the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai.

The Election Commission (EC) has directed the police to file an FIR against Pragya for her remark that she was "proud" of her participation in the demolition of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in 1992.

On Wednesday, Mulnivasi Muslim Manch President Anjum Inamdar, former Justice B G Kolse Patil, former IPS officer Suresh Khopade and others came together to form a team of the people who will head to Bhopal next week, along with those were injured and kin of those who died in the Malegaon blast, in which Pragya is an accused. She is out on bail.

'An anti-social element'

Khopade said, "We live in a democracy and want our representative to respect our parliament and work for society. But it seems that Pragya is an anti-social element. We will campaign against her and the BJP for shielding and encouraging such destructive people to breach the peace in society." Their week-long campaign will involve going door-to-door and handing out pamphlets and telling people not to vote for Pragya. Bhopal goes to the polls on May 12.

Inamdar said, "Such people cause hatred between communities. We will make people aware of whom they are going to vote for, and tell them the consequences of that." Kolse Patil said, "Her statements speak about the way she is going to handle work. Why is no action being taken by this government against her when it usually files cases against such statements?"

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The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for shielding fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, while his son-in-law is helping Parth Pawar in campaigning. Parth is the grand nephew of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, and is contesting in the Lok Sabha elections from Maval constituency.

Parth, 29, is the son of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. He is contesting against Shrirang Barne from the Shiv Sena who won the seat in 2014. The Sena-BJP alliance has given him another chance to contest, as he had won the Sansad Ratna Award.

Parth has often been seen accompanied by Samar Singh, who is married to Mallya's step-daughter, Laila. Singh is a businessman and investment banker based in the USA. Sources say Singh also handles Parth's social media. Asked about him, Parth said, "Samar and I have been friends for a long time. He campaigns for me like my other friends. Why should he be blamed for Mallya's wrongdoings? He is also returning to the US."

Singh was unavailable for comment but a friend of his said, "Samar and Parth are friends from Mumbai and know each other for ages. Samar and his wife are not much connected to the Mallya family as has been portrayed. Samar had joined Parth out of curiosity to see his friend contest the election and had visited few places with him to see the real situation. He has gone back to the US."

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This time, Modi government revoked Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s special status which created huge uproar. The film Mudda 370 J & KL revolves around Suraj (Hiten Tejwani) who is a Hindu Kashmiri pandit and has fallen in love with a Muslim girl, Aasma (Anjali Pandey). The film shows Aasma’s brother, Jabbar (Raj Zutshi), as a jihadi who is instigated by the maulvi (Mohan Kapur) to kill Hindus if they refuse to leave Kashmir. The film shows Jabbar who is set off to kill Suraj but Aasma comes in front of him to take the bullet and dies. What happens further between Suraj and Jabbar takes the story forward.

Amongst all the tears that are being shed over the deaths of Irrfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor, one presence has been sorely missed. Dimple Kapadia, Rishi’s first heroine in Bobby and his very very close friend has kept out of the tearful tamasha. According to a very close friend of the actress, Dimple has no words to describe her loss. “Chintu was not just her first co-star, they grew up together,” says a close friend of the actress, adding that she is still in a state of denial.

Says the friend, “Dimple has seen a lot of people close to her die. Her own sister Simple Kapadia died painfully of cancer. But this one has hit her really hard. Chintu (Rishi Kapoor) and she remained close over the years. She knew she could lean on him for any problem. He was just a phone call away.”

Interestingly, Dimple also has an ‘Irrfan’ connection. She played his love interest in one of Irrfan’s first films Drishti. Irrfan had told me once how nervous he was when he had to get intimate on screen with a big star like Dimple Kapadia. To this Dimple gave a classic reply, “Sab jhooth. I didn’t notice any nervousness.” Ironically, Dimple was also a part of his last film Angrezi Medium.

Also Read: When Rishi Kapoor, Kamal Haasan and Ramesh Sippy crushed on Dimple Kapadia

If there is one actor in our film industry who speaks his mind as frankly as Rishi Kapoor it is Naseeruddin Shah. The actor-extraordinaire is not likely to gush over an actor just because he is no more.

Says Naseer, “Rishi Kapoor's youthful films, I have to say, didn't grab me and I don't think I saw any apart from Bobby, and Dimple had a lot to do with people liking Bobby! So I can't really comment on the early part of his career.”

However Naseer admires the emotional truthfulness Rishi brought to his performances. “Apart from being very truthful emotionally he was always vibrant and energetic in films like Amar Akbar Anthony and Karz.”

And Naseer loved the way Rishi embraced his growing years. “It was great to see him maturing with age and beginning to take risks and getting the kind of parts where he could extend himself. I particularly liked him in Kapoor & Sons.”

As for Irrfan, Naseer is unconditionally appreciative of his fellow-actor’s talent. Says Naseer, “Irrfan I consider an unusual talent, a unique actor and a greatly caring human being. Apart from them both dying young the really tragic thing is both had a great deal to look forward to in their lives and their work but as the poet Robert Burns said, the best laid plans of mice and men often go askew.”

Also Read: Off The Record: Farhan Akhtar breaks down Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’s scene when he meets Naseeruddin Shah for the first time

When India started seeing a spike in coronavirus cases in March, the theatres were the first to shut shop in the country and will probably be the last to open as well. This uncertainty over theatres functioning like before has led to several producers considering to release their films directly on OTT platforms skipping the theatrical release. OTT platforms are taking full advantage of this situation and are said to be offering large sums of money to filmmakers.

The boost in OTT platforms has several doubting the fate of theatrical businesses in the future. On Friday, filmmaker Anubhav Sinha who has made films like Article 15 and Thappad took to Twitter and said that nothing will change with the theatrical business and even compared it to the recent chaos outside liquor shops. "Nothing will change the theatrical business in India. NOTHING!!! Here the big blockbusters are not only about the film. It is an event. It is a community event. It won’t change. I hope you saw the liquor shop queues," he wrote.

Nothing will change the theatrical business in India. NOTHING!!! Here the big blockbusters are not only about the film. It is an event. It is a community event. It won’t change. I hope you saw the liquor shop queues.

— Anubhav Sinha (@anubhavsinha) May 8, 2020

Meanwhile, it is being reported that this year's Eid releases- Radhe and Laxmmi Bomb might be looking for a direct to OTT release. Makers of Akshay Kumar starrer Laxmmi Bomb are currently in talks to release the film in June on Hotstar. However, the makers are yet to make an official announcement regarding the same. On the other hand, the makers of Radhe-Your Most Wanted Bhai will take a decision after they complete post-production.

ALSO READ: Laxmmi Bomb to get a direct to OTT release on Disney+Hotstar in June

Former England and Liverpool goalkeeper David James is convinced that the Reds should be crowned English Premier League (EPL) champions if the 2019-20 season is called off due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It will be Liverpool's first title in 30 years, after narrowly missing out to
Manchester City by one point last season.

The Premier League was suspended in March after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for COVID-19.

Liverpool (82 points from 29 games) lead second-placed Manchester City (57 points from 28 games) by 25 points at the top of the points table and are almost certain to clinch the title. Some experts feel that the season should be declared null and void but James, 49, felt that would be unfair on Liverpool. "If they [Premier League] can get games played behind closed doors and finish the remaining fixtures (92 games), the league cannot be cancelled or declared null and void. If, unfortunately, the season does not finish, then Liverpool deserve to be crowned EPL champions as they have earned enough points to claim the crown," James, a football expert panellist on Sony Pictures Sports Network, told mid-day on Tuesday.

Statistical solution

James, who made 53 appearances for England (1997 to 2010), called for the use of algorithms to decide the EPL winner, but said not all clubs may agree here. "The league's organisers should be on the lines of what they do in a cricket match to check the probability of who will be the winner. I believe OPTA (British sports analytics company), who collect statistics in England, have made a statistical prediction of the final EPL table, declaring Liverpool the winner," explained James, who played for the Kerala Blasters (2014) in the franchise-based Indian Super League before graduating to their manager-cum-player in 2018. "Teams which can't secure their Champions League position or fear relegation, would rather see this season declared null and void," he added.

David James

With football across UK suspended indefinitely, the handsomely-paid EPL players have come under pressure to take pay cuts. "The idea of pay cuts is to help the EPL clubs survive. From a business point of view, they need to generate revenue for survival," James explained.

Survival of clubs

"Despite the huge amount of money earned by the clubs from TV rights, right now the money is not being paid due to the lack of televised games. The huge amount wage bill and lack of revenue can break the backs of some clubs. So, pay cuts are vital from the business operations level and to sustain the clubs," said James, who also played for Manchester City from 2004 to 2006. European football too has come to a standstill with the Euro 2020 postponed to next year while the Champions League fixtures are suspended too. European football's governing body UEFA are planning to hold matches in August, but James felt they could do so in the pre-season period next year to avoid a pile-up of fixtures.

"Euro 2020 won't have much effect on the footballing calendar as it is held in summer. But for the Champions League, UEFA should consider a possibility of creating a mini tournament during the domestic pre-season next year to ascertain a winner, rather than hastily conducting the tournament now, leading to a pile-up of matches," said James, who held the EPL record for most clean sheets (169) until Petr Cech (202) surpassed it in 2015.

Fans can visit the official Facebook page of Sony Pictures Sports Network, @SonySportsIndia and watch ‘Sony Ten Pit Stop’ to catch David James from 5.00 PM on April 22, 2020

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The ATP and WTA, along with the International Tennis Federation and organisers of the four Grand Slams (Tennis Australia, the Federation Francaise de Tennis, All England Club and United States Tennis Association) are planning create a 'Player Relief Programme' to provide assistance to the coronavirus-impacted players.

"With so much uncertainty around when it will be safe to restart the professional tennis tours, the international governing bodies of world tennis can confirm they are in discussions to create a Player Relief Programme to provide much-needed assistance to the players who are particularly affected during this time of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis," ITF said in a statement on Tuesday.

"These discussions have been progressing well and details are being finalised with an announcement expected in the near future. Already agreed is that the ATP and the WTA will administer the Player Relief Programme and all seven stakeholders will make a significant contribution," the statement added. IFT further said: "We know that for our players, as well as for so many people worldwide, there is the need for financial support for those who need it most and we look forward to finalising and sharing the further details of a plan in due course."

The London-based governing body has also announced the creation of player panels for those competing on its World Tennis Tour. "The panel will provide a forum for players to provide their input and have their say on how the tour is run and will be a further opportunity for the ITF to engage with the player community," ITF said. The men's and women's players will each elect a panel of seven current player members, who will have voting rights.

Men's players with an ATP ranking of below 350 and women's tennis players with a WTA ranking not higher than 151 will be allowed to nominate a fellow player or stand in the election.

All professional tennis activities remain suspended till July 13 due to coronavirus outbreak which has so far claimed more 1.7 lives across the world.

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Lakshadweep

Lakshadweep is a group of islands, 200–440 km off the southwest coast of India. These islands form the smallest union territory of the country. The Lakshadweep region has about 600 species of fish, 78 species of coral and over 100 species of other marine invertebrates. This is the perfect opportunity to explore the fascinating marine life underwater.

This year BNHS will be visiting the Tinnakara Island; The charming isolated Thinnakara Island is situated just opposite side of Bangaram island and share the same lagoon and are part of the Bangaram atoll. You need not worry if you do not know swimming; you can still enjoy the deep blue sea and move among the amazing corals, fishes, shells, shrimps and crabs. Most of the snorkeling will be in waist-deep coral lagoons.

Batch I: 3rd – 7th March, 2018
Batch II: 10th – 14th March, 2018
Batch Size: 15 participants only
Accommodation: Twin sharing in furnished Non Ac beach tents house on the Tinakara Island.
Camp fees: Rs. 47,500/- for members and Rs. 49,000/- for others (ex Aggati).
Cost Includes: Stay and food, Pick-up and drop from/to Aggati one snorkeling session per day on the island.
Cost excludes: Flight/rail tickets, all expenses of personal nature like laundry, tips beverages, camera fees, extra water activities, SCUBA, any cost not specified above.
Reporting: Participants to meet on Day One morning at Aggati Airport Lakshadweep 10.10 a.m. (as per the flight schedule) drop on last day at Aggati Airport at 10 a.m. (as per the flight schedule).

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She's sizzled on lists featuring the world's hottest women. So, when South African model-designer Gabriella Demetriades walks into The Daily, it's easy to figure why. There's no discernable make-up on her face; her slip dress is perfect to take her from day to evening. It's impossible to ignore Nikhil Thampi too, with his tall build and sunglasses in place. "You always wear amazing boots," he tells Demetriades. The two designers, known for their sexy western creations, slip into comfortable chatter.

Fashion designers Gabriella Demetriades (left) and Nikhil Thampi at The Daily Bar & Kitchen in Bandra. Pics/Sneha Kharabe

Sabhnani: What made you enter menswear?
Demetriades: Because no one's doing it! I am doing more of a casual daywear line that is unisex — jeans, tees and jackets.
Thampi: Menswear has evolved from what it was five years ago. Men are more experimental. I remember I had done cowl kurtas in my GenNext show; it wasn't big back then. Every top designer today is doing drapes for menswear. I thought, let's revisit it. Although, it is mostly Indian, nobody is doing predominantly western clothes. We thought of doing a small collection of eight looks to check the market. We have been flooded with offers. I never believed in celebrity showstoppers till today [Hrithik Roshan walked for his show].
Demetriades: It's amazing when they wear them as it goes viral. But then it depends on the celebrity too. As a foreigner, it was interesting to see that.
Thampi: We both owe a lot to celebrities; my career graph accelerated because of it. But it's important only if it translates into sales. A Deepika Padukone wearing an outfit is not as aspirational as Sonakshi Sinha or Kareena Kapoor wearing it, as they are full-bodied. Fashion weeks should focus only on design, not showstoppers.

Sabhnani: Speaking of model sizing, how did you shift from modeling to designing?
Demetriades: My family business involves textiles and haberdashery. My grandmother started it 50 years ago. My mother owns a small knitwear label in South Africa. The production capability there isn't amazing and we always thought of moving to India. We first came to India to look at production possibilities.
Thampi: Production is a nightmare in Mumbai. It costs half in Delhi or Kolkata. I cry every day due to bills and production issues.

Sabhnani: We have a long way to go, right?
Demetriades: It's very young. The Indian sensibility is conservative, so you have to tone it down. But it's a growing economy and there are risk-takers too.
Thampi: To survive, you have to be an all-rounder, especially a PR maestro.
Demetriades: Exactly. What's in the public eye becomes the identity of the brand. There's a big gap between lounge and high-end Indian wear — I can't buy a four-lakh gown for every occasion. There are no sexy/fun labels. The price point between $100 to $700 is massive in the West, and you can buy something beautiful.

The food arrives; Quinoa Salad and Champagne Mushroom Fricassee for Demetriades; Pollo Funghi e Jalapeno, Drunken Prawns and Banana Peanut Butter smoothie for Thampi.
Demetriades: This looks good! Avocuddle sounds cute [we ordered a blueberry avocado shake called Avocuddle].
Thampi: Food is my happy space. I eat everything; I can eat a human being!
Demetriades: That's mean! I gave up meat three months ago. But my family is Greek, so everything has lamb. They asked me, 'What are you going to eat!' When I watched the film Okja, I was in tears. And I was hosting people for dinner that day. When a pork dish was served, I thought, 'Oh god, I can't do it.' Since then I haven't had red meat or chicken.

Sabhnani: So, do you eat before shows?
Thampi: I can't eat anything, but I compensate after the show.
Demetriades: French fries. When I am stressed, I eat. When I am super happy, I don't. When I was in South Africa, I was 10 kilos lighter. It's very hardcore there. When I came to India, it was the opposite. People liked that I was curvy.
Thampi: She's so thin! It's a profession; you need to maintain yourself. But none of us would want to project our clothes on an extremely thin model.

Sabhnani: What do you like and hate about the industry?
Thampi: Nepotism. You pick up any magazine, and you'll spot the same five people, all over again. The same people are given awards every time. Move on!
Demetriades: Fashion and celebrities are a single entity in India. I don't think that just because you are a celebrity (Bollywood or cricket), you are fashionable. Also, there is hierarchy and power play in the industry, which is scary for newcomers and outsiders or foreigners like me.

A German team practises mallakhamb with coach Uday Deshpande

In a TEDx Gateway talk held in 2017, 65-year-old Uday Deshpande talks of how he started learning mallakhamb at Shivaji Park's Samarth Vyayam Mandir (SVM) at the age of three. The passion for the sport, which has its origins in Maharashtra, gripped him so much, he says, that he even stuck to his daily regime on the day of his wedding. As the audience laughs, Deshpande moves on to talk about what he returned to the sport — spreading its awareness not just to other Indian cities across 29 states, but globally as well. He rattles off a statistic: in the last 25 years more than 2,500 foreigners from 52 countries have learnt mallakhamb.

His passport — which thanks to the several added visa pages has increasing so much in girth that it is a candidate for bariatric surgery — bears signs of his visits to countries like USA, Singapore, Nepal, Germany, France, Austria, Hong Kong. And now, says Deshpande, the director at SVM who also coaches there, all this effort is going to culminate into the first mallakhamb world championship to be held at Shivaji Park, next February. Speaking to mid-day from his Shivaji Park office, keeping a stern eye on the practice sessions on the grounds, Deshpande announces proudly," Mallakhamb is ready to go the next mile. France and Germany in fact, have mallakhamb federations in their countries. We need to now harness that exposure into a competition." The championships — to be held under the auspices of the newly-formed Vishwa Mallakhamb Federation (VMF) — will be held between February 16-17 2019. Deshpande, the secretary of VFM, says all the details of the organisation of the event are being taken care of by SVM officials.

Uday Deshpande

And 15 countries have already announced their participation. Dr (PhD) Neeta Tatke, administrative secretary, SVM, whose thesis was on the mental benefits of the sport, says, "A competition is one way to kindle curiosity, sustain the sport and watch it grow. We also need to increase participation at home." For Tatke, GenNext will take a shine to the rope and pole, "if we have national and world champions here, nurtured and made in our backyard. For instance, see the boost tennis and badminton got in India. This is because with the Saina Nehwals, Sania Mirzas and P V Sindhus, young Indians have role models to look up to. We need to create that in mallakhamb. Competition is one way to do so."

A couple of years ago, when Deutschland came to Dadar, the German mallakhamb team given an Indian experience by Samarth volunteers. After their morning mallakhamb practice, Samarth members taught the Germans, Lezim (a Maharashtrian folk) dance, they learnt to play the flute and even dabbled in Warli painting. This time, organisers say that at the World Championships, there will be a food court at the venue and an exhibition centre outlining the history of mallakhamb.

Ruth Azenberger, German mallakhamb coach — who started learning mallakhamb when she was eight years old, in 2004, and then received the Mallakhamb Trainers Certificate in 2012 from the University of Mumbai and Mallakhamb Federation of India — says, "We are thrilled to be a part of the competition and show what we have learned for the last 15 years." Azenberger adds that the final mallakhamb team will be selected in September.

Shreyas Mhaskar, trustee, SVM and former national Mallakhamb champion adds, "Mallakhamb's origins are Indian, so it is natural that India hosts the debut World Championship." Officials say that, "we also have plans of how to make this a more equitable field for all nations. We are going to negate the obvious advantage India will have, with its long tradition of mallakhamb with a few surprises in rules that we will not divulge now." Ambition is expensive. The committee says they are earmarking R2 crore expense overall and are now hunting for sponsors. Yet, to zero in on that elusive one with deep pockets, the organizers are holding on to their dream because they have the courage of conviction, or when it comes to mallakhamb, like the practitioners that should be courage of their contortions.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is 'exploring all options available' to them to complete the World Test Championship amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We are continuing planning for ICC events as they are but given the rapidly evolving situation as a prudent and responsible measure we are also undertaking a comprehensive business contingency planning exercise," a source within ICC told ANI. "This includes exploring all options available to us based on a range of scenarios connected to the pandemic," the source added.

The source further added that as of now, no decision has been taken. The coronavirus pandemic has taken a huge toll on sports all across the globe and cricket also had to bear the brunt of the deadly virus as several series have been postponed owing to COVID-19. In the ongoing World Test Championship, a total of 71 Test matches will be played across 27 series over two years. The championship began on August 1 last year when Australia faced England in Ashes.

The top two teams will then contest in the ICC World Test Championship final in June 2021 in the UK. Currently, India hold the top spot on the World Test Championship table with 360 points followed by Australia and New Zealand with 296 and 180 points respectively.

The second ICC World Test Championship will run from July 2021 to June 2023.

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The usage of artificial substances to polish the cricket ball, which effectively means ball tampering, could be considered for legalisation when the game resumes after the COVID-19 pandemic that has made bowlers wary of applying saliva on the red cherry. 'ESPNCricinfo' reported that administrators are "open to the option of allowing for the use of an agreed artificial substance to polish the ball under the supervision of the umpires", which amounts to ball-tampering as per the current rules governing the sport.

However, an ICC CEC member, who PTI spoke with, refused to say whether such a discussion will happen and only revealed that "saliva on the ball is something they will consider but at a later date when it looks like we will have a return to cricket." The matter of saliva being unsafe was raised by the ICC's medical committee and it would be addressed before cricket resumes. All sports activities have come to a halt after the coronavirus outbreak. Shining the ball is an integral part of Test cricket as it helps the bowlers swing the ball, both conventional and reverse.

If the move gets the go ahead, it would be quite ironic for the game's administrators after the 2018 ball-tampering controversy which led to one-year bans on Steve Smith and David Warner for conspiring to use sandpaper to alter the ball. Following the chief executives meeting of the ICC on Thursday, its medical committee, headed by Peter Harcourt, had issued an update.

"Our next step is to create a roadmap for the resumption of international cricket which will include a criteria for decision making and a checklist for what needs to happen. "This will consider everything from player preparation to government restrictions and advisories and bio-bubbles. The scale and complexity of getting cricket started again cannot be underestimated particularly with respect to a global event," Harcourt said. Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood recently said that Test cricket will become harder if the bowlers did not have enough means to move the ball.

"I think the white ball would be fine, (but) Test cricket would be very hard. Bowlers rely on any sort of sideways movement in the air," said Hazlewood. "If you didn't maintain the ball at all for 80 overs it would be quite easy to bat after that initial shine has gone. Whether you use saliva or sweat, maybe one person can do it.

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad supports the idea of not using saliva on the ball. "When the action resumes, they should use only sweat for some time as safety of the players is paramount," former pacer Prasad, who played 33 Tests and 161 ODIs for India, told PTI. However, he reckons it will be tough for the bowlers to stop all of a sudden.

"When you are in the thick of things, you tend to forget it. You have to get the upper hand over the batsmen as you can't use anything else besides sweat and saliva. "The question is what do you do when the batsman is pulping you? You need to swing the ball and what helps swing the ball is the aerodynamics," the 50-year-old explained.

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